Thill-coupling.



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

RALPH HOLLAR, OF l-IUMBOLDT, IOlVA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

sPEcIrIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,710, dated Deeeiter 12, 18959.

Application 'tiled May 2O,` 1899. Serial No. 717,563. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH HOLLAE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Humboldt, in the county of Humboldt and State of Iowa, have invented a new and usefulThill- Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a thill-coupling that will be of simple, strong, durableand inexpensive constructiomwhioh may be applied very quickly and easily without the use of any kind of tool, which when once in place will securely hold the thill and an elastic packing block against displacement, and which will prevent rattling of the connecting-bolt or thill or other parts.

My invention consists in the construction of the coupling device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, andillustratedin the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 shows in perspective the coupling device complete. Fig. 2 shows alongitudinal section through the axle and coupling device, taken on'the line 2 2 of Fig. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a perspective of a part of the axle and thill and the thill-coupling device in position thereon ready for operation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the coupling device proper comprises a straight bolt (indicated by the reference-numeral 10) having a square head 11 on one end, and at its other end and on the, top side thereof is a notch 12. Pivotally connected Y with the said bolt is the holder, which same 5o portion, and then straight upwardly at its end portion 17, and this end portion 17 near its top is curved outwardly and provided with a hole 18 of a size su ftcient to admit the end of the bolt 10.

19 indicates ablock preferably made of rub# ber and having shoulders 2O on its lower concave face designed to overlap the sides of the holder as required to limit the movement of the block upon the holder, and said block is of such a thickness as to be held in engagement with the thill when the holder is moved to its locked position. I

The reference-n umeral 21 indicates an axle', and 22 indicates a cleat fixed to the axle and having formed thereon at its forward edge the two perforated lugs 28. These parts are of the usual construction.

ln practical use, and assuming that it is de sired to connect the thill with the said lugs, the thill is first placed in alinement With the perforations in the lugs, and then the operator passes the bolt 10 through the lugs and the opening in the thill. Then the holder is grasped and the rubber block 19 placed thereupon. Then the free end of the holder is forced upwardly to thereby compress and secure the rubber between the holder and the under surface of the thill. Then, when the holder is moved upwardly far enough so that the end of the bolt 10 may enter the opening 1S, the resiliency of the holderwill cause the same to move inwardly and thereby cause the notch 12 in the bolt 10 to admit the upper edge of the said opening 1S, and it is obvious that, when in this position, the parts cannot readily become detached on account, first, of the downward pressure normally exerted by means of the resiliency of the rubber block tending to cause the edge of the opening 18 to lie in the said notch, and also the resiliency of the holder itself, which will prevent the free end of the holder from moving outwardly beyond the end of the bolt. When the holder is thus placed in position, it is obvious that the rattling or loosening of any of the parts will be prevented for the reason that the resiliency of the rubber block and also of the holder is exerted to jointly produce an upward pressure upon the under surface of the thill that will prevent the thill from rattling upon the bolt.

It is obvious that no tools are required to either attach or detach the deviceand, further, that on account of the great simplicity TOO ceci/'16 of the parts the device may be made Without the employment of any expensive machinework, and hence may be constructed very cheaply.

Having thus described the coupling, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is

1. A thill-coupler, comprising a bolt having a head at one end and a notch at its other end, and a spring-metal holder pivoted to the head at one end and bent to pass under a thill when the said bolt is passed through the opening in the thill, and having its central part arched to engage a packing-block and its other end bent outwardly at its top and provided with an opening designed to receive the free end of the bolt, and so arranged that as the holder is forced upwardly the outwardly-dared end thereof will engage the bolt and be forced downwardly until the bolt enters the opening when the holder will pass over the end of the bolt as far as the said notch inthe bolt, and

a rubber packing-block fitted to the arch of the holder and the thill-iron to operate as and for the purposes stated. Y

2. A thill-coupling, comprising in combination, a bolt having a head 11 and a notch 12, a holdei` made of a single piece of flat spring metal, and having one end 13, bifurcated to admit the head of the bolt, a pin for pivoting the bifurcated end of the holder to the head Aof the bolt, a horizontal part 16 of the said holder arched and its end portion extended vertically and outwardly at its extremity and also having an opening 17 and a rubber block 19, having a concave face designed to rest upon the top surface of the holder and shoulders 20, to engage the parallel edges of the holder, all arranged and combined substantially in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

RALPH HOLLAR. Witnesses:

W. L. HoLLAR, H. S. OADETT. 

